O’Brien looking to blunt Daggers

Mike Simmonds

Hatters defender Mark O’Brien believes his side shouldn’t take anything for granted when visiting basement side Dagenham & Redbridge on Sunday.

The hosts are bottom of League Two, without a home win so far this season in seven attempts, picking up a mere three points out of 21.

“We feel as though we can go there and beat them.”

Mark O’Brien

Although confident the Hatters can arrest their own iffy run of four game without a win, O’Brien said: “You look at every fixture and it’s going to be a tough game, there’s not any easy games this year.

“It’s all about form on the day, if they’re up for it more than us or we’re up for it more than them.

“We feel as though we can go there and beat them but you still have to wary as every team is going to be strong on the day and you gave to put them away.”

O’Brien was speaking after completing the full Final Third Development game for Hatters as they were held to a 1-1 draw by League One Southend on Tuesday.

On the match, O’Brien continued: “Any 90 minutes is helpful as I love playing games and it’s good to keep yourself ticking over.

“As you’ve seen the other week, people are pulling up with little niggles here and there, so I have to keep myself ready.”

O’Brien was alongside youth teamer Frankie Musonda in the heart of defence, which is a position he hopes to play for the first team, although doesn’t mind helping out in midfield if that’s the role he’s deployed in by boss John Still.

The Irishman said: “That’s where I’ve played my full career, I’ve had a chat with the manager about the midfield role and he feels I can do it.

“The more I’ve done it, the more comfortable I’ve felt with it, but centre half is where I’ve played.

“That’s where I’ve learnt my trade and getting to play there is something I’m looking to do as well.”

The game against the Shrimpers was a keenly contested affair with, unusually for a reserve clash, four bookings brandished too.

O’Brien added: “That’s what you want as when you’ve not played in a while, you want that competitive edge .

“When you get your full 90 with that you feel better for it other than a so-called development game where it’s just pass and do silly things.

“This was played at a better place and I felt better for it.

“First half took us a while to get going, but second half we ended up getting more into the game. We showed what we can do and we pressed the, made them rush clearances, and I feel as though we could have gone on to win it.”